Comments on the Water-Energy Research Integration Act of 2014
Submitted by: National Ground Water Association
August 8, 2014
National Ground Water Association (NGWA) commends the bill sponsors for their interest and work in
this area. The Association believes that water supply challenges are and will continue to grow. This is
evidenced in the Government Accountability Office report that found 40 of 50 state water managers
expect water shortages in some portion of their states under average conditions over the next ten
years.i
Concurrently, achieving energy security is a key imperative. Groundwater can play an important role in
addressing the nation’s water and energy needs. The federal government can and must play a critical
role in helping to provide the necessary data, information and research. The current bill is a positive
step toward laying out a path forward.
Below are specific comments on the bill. They focus on potential refinements in the strategic planning
process as well as possible additional mechanisms or ways to try to encourage greater mutual
cooperation and collaboration across the energy-water nexus.
Specific comments:
Section 2: Integrating Energy and Water Research:
Section 2(a) – The following is offered as a potential change to current language:
The Secretary of Energy shall integrate water considerations into energy research, development,
and demonstration programs and projects of the Department of Energy and shall provide
supporting research to integrate energy considerations into federal agency water research,
development, and demonstration programs by
Section 2(a)(1)(A) – the inclusion of consumptive use is especially important. Minimizing freshwater
withdrawals at the expense of increasing consumptive use would be counter-productive.
Section 2(a)(1)(B) – consider changing language to:
Increase water use efficiency and conservation; and
Section 2(a)(1)(C) – Consider whether to revise the language to specify that there may be varying levels
of water treatment needed depending on the end use and the research should capture that idea.
Language change could be something like:
utilizing nontraditional water and wastewater sources with efforts to improve the quality of the
water from those sources to meet varying end uses and reduce the energy required to treat and
supply water for needs that can be met with less than potable water quality;
1
Section 2(a)(3) – consider changing language to:
Improving integration of water and energy data, and the understanding of the water-energy
nexus
Section 2(b)(2)(C) – consider changing language to:
Innovative water reuse, recovery, conservation, storage, and treatment technology in energy
generation and fuel production
Section 2(b)(2)(F) – consider changing language to:
Data needs, systems analysis and modeling of issues related to the energy-water nexus,
including mapping of synergistic opportunities where water and wastewater supplies may be
particularly effective to support energy generation and fuel production and vice versa.
Section 2(b)(2)(I) – consider changing language to:
Biomass energy production, including waste biomass, and utilization and the impact on
hydrologic systems;
Section 2(b)(2)(L) – so as to provide research opportunities on the potential for geothermal heat pump
systems to achieve both water as well as energy savings, consider changing the language to::
Technologies for energy generation from water sources, distribution, treatment, and collection
systems; and
Section 2(b)(2) – Some possible additions to the list of specific considerations:

Existing infrastructure and operations for energy and water supply and immediate opportunities
for improved resource use and management

Development of a water-effectiveness metric for energy generation and fuel production
technologies, and an energy-effectiveness metric for water production/delivery and wastewater
treatment technologies

Improved and automated evaporation control, leak-detection and repair, and water distribution
monitoring technologies for energy generation and fuel production, including biomass fuels
Section 3. Energy-Water Oversight and Coordination.
Overall comment, NGWA participates in the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI)ii that is
looking at water data collection, access and reporting. ACWI has federal agency, state, and private
sector representatives, as you may know. Coordinating in some way the work of the proposed EnergyWater Subcommittee under the Energy Advisory Board and ACWI would seem beneficial. Currently DOE
is not listed as a member of ACWI, although there may be other coordination mechanisms between DOE
and water data and information agencies.
2
Section 3(a)(2) – consider adding private sector consulting hydrogeologists and engineers to the list of
non-federal committee members. These individuals provide practical, out-in-the-field experience that
can help inform discussions.
Section 3(b)(1) – consider changing language to:
Make, in coordination with the Advisory Committee on Water Information, recommendations on
the development and integration of data collection….
Section 3(b)(2) – consider changing language to:
Recommend, in coordination with the Advisory Committee on Water Information, ways to make
improvements…
Section 3(b)(3) consider changing language to:
Recommend, in coordination with the Advisory Committee on Water Information, best practices
for utilizing information from existing monitoring networks…
National Ground Water Association – who we are
NGWA is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the groundwater industry. Our
members from all 50 states include some of the country’s leading public and private sector groundwater
scientists, engineers, water well contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related
products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading community of groundwater
professionals that promotes the responsible development, use and management of groundwater
resources.
Who to contact for more information:
William Alley, Ph.D.
Director of Science and Technology
National Ground Water Association
800.551.7379, ext 531
walley@ngwa.org
Christine Reimer
Government Affairs Director
National Ground Water Association
800.551.7379, ext. 560
creimer@ngwa.org
i FRESHWATER: Supply Concerns Continue, and Uncertainties Complicate Planning, GAO-14-430: May 22, 2014.
Retrieved at http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-430
ii
Advisory Committee on Water Information web site is at www.acwi.gov
3